Contrarian

I live in Seattle after growing up near Portland. I have had innumerable days in my life where, in order to stay out of the rain, I could watch TV or curl up with a book or play The Bard's Tale II and not have anyone really criticize me for not going outside.

I don't want to give the impression that I've always been a total shut-in. When I was a kid, I think I spent a reasonable amout of time out of doors; I shot hoops and rode bikes and built forts like most kids that grew up in a place without sidewalks. 

I also don't want to give the impression that I don't occasionally enjoy being outside. Walking around the neighborhood or watching a baseball game or looking at how women are dressed? Most of the time all of these things are much more entertaining  when it's sunny and warm out.

(I wonder how many paragraphs I should start with "I" at the beginning of the blog. Let's say four.)

The thing is that, for some reason, I've been consistently challenged/encouraged/chastised to go outside more throughout my life. My mom did it when I was growing up. Friends on Facebook do it today. Actually, now that I think of it? I think that only women want me to go outside. Dudes evidently are content to let me become transparent from lack of sun and die due to Vitamin D deficiencies.

I just don't like to go outside that much. I don't like napping in the sun (it's too bright). I don't like reading outside (it makes me feel squinty, and sunglasses tend not to fit me well because of my large and seemingly vertically mismatched ears). I don't like eating outside (bugs like food but I don't like bugs).

Unlike most blogs, which deal with important issues of today, this one doesn't really have a point. I guess, as a walk-away? Understand that if I don't want to have sushi in the park or if I don't want to walk around the water and look at the boats or if I don't want to walk around under the Alaskan Viaduct and mock homeless people: it's nothing personal. I just don't always (or even very often) feel like going outside.